City Allows Deal For Legion Site Orlando Council Likes Higher Selling Price

September 9, 1986|By Goldie Blumenstyk of The Sentinel Staff

Placated by a higher price, the Orlando City Council agreed Monday to sell its 2-acre American Legion site downtown to The Travelers insurance company, which promised to use the land for a new regional headquarters.

The council also tentatively approved the city's $87.4 million budget and tax rate for the coming year and gave initial endorsement for new open- container restrictions on drinking during street festivals.

The council also set in motion steps that could lead the city to further expand the arena site to land north of Concord Street.

Here are the details:

-- American Legion. Despite protests from local architects, a preservationist group and a political activist who called the sale a ''Monty Hall approach to government,'' the council approved the sale unanimously.

Council members who objected two weeks ago said they were satisfied now that the city had a second appraisal and would be receiving $2.50 per square foot, or about $1.73 million. The original contract called for $2 per square foot.

The council rejected an appeal by the mid-Florida chapter of the American Institute of Architects to do ''a serious analysis'' of the American Legion building to determine how it could be adapted for other uses.

John Page, the group's president, urged the council to save the building because it was built by the Work Projects Administration in 1938 during the Depression and ''illustrates a special time in our city's history.'' OLD Inc., a preservationist group, also urged that the building be saved.

The Travelers plans to demolish the American Legion headquarters and build a 10- or 11-story building. The city will build the Legion a $600,000 headquarters near the Ben White Raceway.

The most vocal criticism came from Doug Guetzloe, who heads Central Florida Young Republicans and is running for a state Senate seat from Orlando.

Guetzloe said he opposed the sale, which was negotiated by Mayor Bill Frederick, because the city did not seek competitive bids. ''It's 'Let's Make a Deal' downtown,'' said Guetzloe.

Frederick dismissed Guetzloe's criticism, telling him ''perhaps there will be another occasion before the election'' when he would find a chance to seek publicity at city hall.

Frederick and council members said the sale makes sense for the city because the property no longer will be tied up in a $1-per-year lease with the American Legion and instead will be turned into a tax-producing project.

Frederick also announced that he has released Travelers from its offer to pay $60,000 to $70,000 for a lighted, floating fountain in Lake Ivanhoe. Frederick said he didn't want the land sale to become tangled with that controversial project. Despite opposition from many residents, however, he has not abandoned his plan to install the fountain.

-- Budget. Along with the budget, the council approved a tax rate of $4.19 for each $1,000 of taxable property. In the 1,000-acre district of the Downtown Development Board, commercial property owners will pay an additional tax of $1 per $1,000.

The city budget includes money for 74 new employees, and a $2.4 million parks improvement plan. There also is $200,000 set aside for a Great Neighborhoods program, which will be aimed at beautification and other community needs. Frederick said goals will be determined by a survey to be mailed to all residents in early October.

No residents attended Monday's budget hearing, which Frederick said was a sign that people are largely satisfied. The budget is scheduled for adoption after the final hearing at 5 p.m. Sept. 15.

-- Open Containers. The days of strolling with beer in hand during downtown street festivals such as Light Up Orlando would be over under the new rules tentatively adopted Monday. Instead, alcohol could be sold and consumed only in designated areas.

The new rules are aimed at controlling drinking and the potential for rowdy behavior. They also will ''stop people from bringing in a cooler of Jack Daniels'' whiskey to a city-sponsored street party, said Police Chief Fred Walsh.

-- Arena. The council agreed to seek appraisals on property in three spots near Lake Dot, including some property never before targeted for the arena.

The new property is a corner of about six properties southwest of the lake. Frederick said he wants to consider buying that land because he envisions it as part of a landscaped park and entryway to the arena.

That property includes a duplex rented to Joe Flores, an arena foe who had announced a petition drive against the downtown project. Frederick and chief administrator Lex Hester both said they had no idea Flores lives there. Flores also is a city council candidate who is challenging the vote count in last week's election in which he just missed getting into a runoff.

The other properties to be appraised are an area southeast of the lake, which was identified several weeks ago by arena planners as a possible site for more parking; and a block on the east side of Parramore Avenue between Concord Street and Colonial Drive, which could be taken to make room for a widened road.